What can I expect in this post? (What is the SAP Mobile Platform on HANA cloud?)

This paper deals with the SAP Mobile Platform on HANA Cloud and its use. But what is the SAP Mobile Platform on HANA cloud, anyway? It is a combination of the SAP NetWeaver Gateway and the former Sybase Unwire Platform (SUP) based on a hosted platform from SAP. The SAP Mobile Platform on HANA cloud simplifies an SAP customer’s entry into the mobile world and prepares the data from the customer’s own SAP backend-System for mobile use. Whether the solution delivers what it promises will be put to the test in this post.

I have already created a rough representation in the picture above. But what are the specific, detailed requirements for a connection between the SAP HANA cloud and the customer’s SAP-Backend and between the SAP HANA cloud and a mobile terminal?

In the customer’s data centre, there needs to be a system to make the connection from the SAP back-end system to SAP HANA cloud. This system is called SAP Cloud Connector. Thus, before access to the SAP HANA cloud can be given, the customer needs to have an SAP HANA cloud – Account. These are the most important requirements. Now the customer’s own SAP-Backend must be connected to the SAP Cloud Connector. For this, the IW_BEP AddOn is necessary on any connected system.

Now it’s done. Now the local data can be accessed through the SAP HANA cloud. The connection between the customer’s own SAP backend system and the SAP HANA cloud works now. The only thing missing is the connection from the mobile terminal to the SAP HANA cloud. So how do we connect the mobile terminals?

To connect the mobile terminals to the SAP Backend systems, the SAP Mobile Platform (SMP) must be set up in the SAP HANA cloud. The mobile devices must be reistered on the SMP and the SMP returns data in the OData format via a web service. With the right application, or app, you can now retrieve your own data from the SAP backend system via mobile devices.

The SAP Mobile Platform on HANA cloud provides a simple way of enabling necessary services for the mobile environment. Thus it is very well suited to the rapid build-up of pilot installations and for building up the know-how of medium-sized companies. Also, the productive use of a limited number of users and devices is a very interesting application.

Will my data be stored in the cloud?

The security of the company’s own data has become extremely important. SAP HANA Cloud does not store any data from the customer’s SAP Backend-Systems. The SAP HANA Cloud is only required to transfer the data to the terminals. Of course, the login configurations in SAP HANA cloud are stored. This is necessary because otherwise no access is possible.

Conclusion

The SAP Mobile Platform on HANA cloud is a perfect way to delve quickly and easily into the mobile world of SAP. It provides an easy way for employees, customers or suppliers to get access to corporate data via mobile devices. It requires only minimal investment in the system landscape for the SAP Cloud Connector, the installation and configuration are likewise not rocket science. SAP offers a trial account using the following link to enable customers to try out the system quickly and easily.

Perhaps this article has piqued your interest in testing cloud support with external access using an itelligence iPad app? I would be happy to show you what an implementation looks here.